Highlights
- •Over the MS trajectory work disability is a dynamic process.
- •The prevalence of sickness absence in early MS shifts later into disability pension.
- •Intervention development aiming at keeping people with MS in the work force is needed.
- •Factors such as manual dexterity should be targeted in such interventions.
Abstract
Background
Even though it is well known that disability due to MS is highly associated with employment
status, the long-term longitudinal perspective on sickness absence and disability
pension over the MS trajectory is lacking. In addition, further knowledge of risk
factors for future disability pension is needed.
Objectives
To explore long-term longitudinal changes in the prevalence of sickness absence and
disability pension in people with MS (PwMS), as well as to explore associations between
disease-specific factors, contextual factors and functioning, and the outcome of future
full-time disability pension.
Methods
A prospective, population-based survival cohort study, with a nine year follow-up,
including 114 PwMS was conducted by combining face-to-face collected data and register-based
data.
Results
The prevalence of full-time disability pension increased from 20% to 50%, however
24% of the PwMS had no disability pension at all at end of follow-up. Sex, age, disease
severity and impaired manual dexterity were associated with future full-time disability
pension.
Conclusions
The large increase in prevalence of PwMS on full-time disability pension during the
MS trajectory, calls for the development and implementation of evidence-based interventions,
aiming at keeping PwMS in the work force. Modifiable factors, such as manual dexterity
should be targeted in such interventions.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 12, 2016
Accepted:
May 30,
2016
Received in revised form:
May 10,
2016
Received:
February 21,
2016
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
